Total Pageviews

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Have you had your Joy Juice today?It’s the last day of 2014.Where did the time go?Are you regretting that you didn’t drink
enough JOY JUICE this past year?

Regrets…we all have them.

·There are things that we have done that we wish
we had not.

·We’ve said things in anger or simply without
thinking and may have hurt someone we love.

·We may have made some bad decisions that have
affected relationships, job performance or our financial security.

·We may not have accomplished our goals that we
set for ourselves in 2014.

We have a choice to make. Will we put on our
“sad face” :( and pout & whine about what could have been or should have
been? That’s a sure way to let the enemy steal our JOY! OR we will choose to focus
onthe scripture found in2 Corinthians 5:17? “If
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come!”

Let’s choose JOY in Christ.He will forgive our past sins, mistakes and
shortcomings. (That’s the “old” stuff.)He wants to fill you with new joy…His joy so that you can move away from
the past and run joyfully forward into the New Year…2015.

Let’s say goodbye to any regrets we have regarding 2014 and put our
trust in the One who will make us into His new creation.Get ready for a joyfully blessed new year!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Have you
had your JOY JUICE today?Yesterday we
drank our JOY JUICE as we listened to Mary’s “Song of Joy”.Today let’s take a closer look at Joseph.

Joseph was
a man of integrity and strong beliefs.When Mary told Joseph that she was with child, he was confused and
didn’t know what to do.God knew that
Joseph needed reassurance, so He sent a messenger to confirm Mary’s story and
give him guidance about how to handle the situation.Joseph was sensitive to God’s instruction and
was willing to be obedient regardless of the consequences.

God honors
integrity.We all need to aim toward a
life of integrity and obedience to God.Instead of following our feelings and trying to understand all the details
of a situation before going forward with God’s plan for our lives, we need to
accept the truth that God has a master plan.In Jeremiah 29:11 God says to us: "For I know the plans I have for you…plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Do you
trust God to be in control of your life? A new year is about to begin. Odds
are, each of us will find ourselves in a difficult situation at some point
during the year.When we do let’s follow
Joseph’s example: Trust + Obedience= JOY!

Let’s pray for each other to be sensitive to God’s plan in our
lives…and get ready for a sweet serving of joy.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Have you
had your JOY JUICE today?Since
Christmas is over, let’s slow down and ponder the JOYS of the season past.

The part of
the Christmas story that talks about Mary “treasuring and pondering these
things in her heart” is so special.Until Gabriel’s unexpected visit, Mary’s life was probably quite
ordinary.Can you imagine her surprise,
when she was told by this angel that she would be the mother of the very Son of
God?!

What was
Mary’s response to this unexpected news?Though she found Gabriel’s news puzzling, she never doubted the
message.When the angel explained that
this would be the Messiah, she immediately responded: “I am the Lord’s servant.May it be to me as you have said.”(Luke 1:38)

Mary’s
complete “Song of JOY” can be found in Luke 1.This expression of her heart shows us how intimate her relationship was
with God..

God’s best
servants are usually ordinary people who love Him and make themselves available
to Him. Are you like Mary….so in love with Him that you are willing to say: “I
am the Lord’s servant.May it be as you
have said.”Our true character is
revealed by how we respond to the unexpected.Let’s strive to be more like Mary and respond with a heart of genuine
love and availability.If so, then we
will be singing our own Song of Joy!!!!

Won't you to join me as we close out the old year and look forward
to many more songs of joy in the new year? Let's start singing! :)

Friday, December 26, 2014

Have you
had your Joy Juice today?Hope you had
plenty to last through Christmas!

How quickly
Christmas Day came and went!The rush of
the holidays is coming to a close.But
will we forget why we’ve been celebrating?Let’s take the JOY of Christmas and share it with others.

That’s what
the shepherds did in Luke 2:15-20:

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph
and the baby, who was lying in the manger.When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been
told them about his child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered
them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

These
shepherds were overjoyed at the revelation of the truth and they went about
excitedly spreading the word!

How about
you and me?Do our lives reflect that
kind of excitement?Though Christmas day
is over, let’s strive to joyfully and excitedly take the good news with us
wherever we go, every day of the year.What better way is there to share the JOY of the Lord?

Don’t leave the joy of Jesus
just for Christmas time.Take it with
you everywhere, every day!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Have you
had your Joy Juice today?Merry
Christmas! It’s Christmas Day--the perfect time for celebrating with joy!

Our hearts
should be overflowing! “JOY TO THE
WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME, LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!”

This is the
day we have set aside to honor the birth of Jesus.Let’s not lose that truth amidst all the
packages, people, food and fun!Sure,
it’s a wonderful blessing to be able to share this day with our loved ones. But
may we never forget to give God thanks
for His “indescribable gift” of Jesus.

Let’s
celebrate His birth throughout this Christmas day.It’s very appropriate that we sing “Happy Birthday, dear Jesus”.Singing is a wonderful way to praise and
worship our Savior…for all of us, young and old.

Listen to how the angels
sang in Luke 2: 13-14:“And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying, ‘Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!’ "

Have a wonderful, blessed
Christmas Day. Hope you’ve invited Jesus to be your guest of honor.May your day be filled withJOY beyond description!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?Perk a big pot full, because it’s Christmas
Eve!

As a child,
I remember bubbling over with excitement every Christmas Eve!My siblings and I could hardly go to sleep
because of the joyful anticipation of what Christmas morning would bring.

In our
Christmas story in Luke 2, we read about the excitement of an unlikely group,
the shepherds.They usually didn’t have
a lot to be excited about…but on that special night, they were in store for
much joy and excitement!

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping
watch over their flocks at night.An
angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified!But the
angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.I
bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David
a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Talk about
a birth announcement!!At first the
shepherds were afraid, but their fear was transformed into great JOY when they
heard the good news.Their Savior had
been born…our Savior!

On this
Christmas Eve, let’s ask God to fill our hearts with the wonder of this blessed
event, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.Ask Him for child-like excitement and anticipation---not about the gifts
we’ll receive tonight or tomorrow, but about THE GIFT we have already
received!Accept Him with great JOY!

Get excited! It’s time to celebrate the birth of the King! JOY TO
THE WORLD!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?Why don’t you curl up with a warm cupful as
we read more of the Christmas story today?

Yesterday
we read from Luke and were reminded of why Joseph and Mary were in the little
town of Bethlehem.Let’s read verses 6 & 7 today:

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born and she
gave birth to her firstborn, a son.She
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for
them in the inn.”

Like a good
mother, Mary was prepared in case the baby was born while they were on their
trip to pay their taxes.She had packed
“swaddling cloths” to keep the baby warm and snuggly wrapped….just as hospitals
do today!

She wrapped
him in those cloths and placed him in a manger.Stables were often caves with feeding troughs called mangers, carved
into rock walls.But no matter what kind
of stable it was---the fact is, the surroundings were dark and dirty.Not exactly the kind of place the Jews
expected as the birthplace of the Messiah King.

How often
do we limit God by our own expectations?Keep in mind that He is at work even when we don’t see Him---even in the
dirty, dark stables of our lives.

Christmas
is a wonderful time to give ourselves totally to God—every area, especially the
dark and dirty stables of our heart.When we do, we will experience a JOYful peace and will understand why we
can sing: JOY TO THE WORLD, The LORD has come!!!!!!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Have you had your Joy Juice today?It’s the week of Christmas so our Joy Juice should be extra sweet!

Let’s focus
on the real Christmas story and read from the Bible in Luke 2:

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem
the town of David,
because he belonged to the house and line of David.He went there to register with Mary, who was
pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.While they were there, the time came for the
baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.”

The birth of
Jesus birth happened exactly as God planned….fulfilling the prophecies of the
old-testament prophets.The decree by
Caesar Augustus went out in God’s perfect timing to bring His Son into the
world.The government forced Joseph to
make that long….70 mile trip…to pay his taxes.Mary, who had to go with him, was expecting her baby any time. Can you
imagine how uncomfortable she was riding on the back of that donkey for such a
long trip? And when they arrived, they could find no place to stay…except a
stable.

Joseph and Mary were
in the perfect will of God, yet they were in uncomfortable circumstances.When we do God’s will, we’re not guaranteed a
life of comfort and ease.But we are
promised that everything---even our discomfort---has meaning in God’s
plan.That is a true Christmas gift of
love, hope and JOY!

May this Christmas be filled with reminders of God’s love….even in
our uncomfortable circumstances! Have a joy-filled Christmas!

Friday, December 19, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?It’s sure to bring you lots of Christmas
cheer!

We’ve talked this week about some
of the traditions of Christmas.We’ve
hung the wreath in honor of God’s unending love; we’ve put up our Christmas
tree and decorated our surroundings with beautiful poinsettias. We’ve even used
candy canes as a reminder of Jesus, our Shepherd. I think we may be ready to
place those gifts under the tree.

Why do we give gifts at Christmas time?Do we do it out of obligation?Are we just trying to “keep score” because
someone has given us a gift? If we give with this attitude, then gift-giving
will be a chore rather than a JOY.Let’s
take a lesson from the Magi who came to see the baby Jesus.

Listen as I read Matthew 2:10 &
11. “When
they saw the star, they were overjoyed! On coming to the house, they saw the
child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.Then they opened their treasures and
presented him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Their act of giving was an expression love and honor.

This
Christmas as we give our Christmas gifts to one another, may we first stop to
worship our Savior, as the Magi did.If
we will put Him first, then our giving to others will be a reflection of the
JOY of JESUS!

Give the gifts of gratitude, love and joy by giving honor to Jesus,
the One who deserves our heartfelt gifts. Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?It’s the perfect drink to quench your thirst
as you go about getting ready for Christmas!How ‘bout a candy cane to snack on with your juice this morning.

Many of us have heard the story of the origin
of the candy cane.But in case you
haven’t, the story is told that many
years ago, a candy maker wanted to make a Christmas candy that would serve as a
witness to his Christian faith.He began
with a stick of pure white hard candy--- white to symbolize the Virgin Birth
and the sinless nature of Jesus; and hard----to symbolize the solid rock, the
foundation of the Church.

The
candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name
of Jesus, who came to
earth as our Savior. He thought it could also represent the staff of the Good
Shepherd. Throughout the Bible Jesus is referred to as our shepherd. In John
10:11 Jesus Himself said: “I am the good shepherd.The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep.” The red stripes on the candy cane were to represent the blood
shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

As you browse the stores and see
boxes of candy canes lining the shelves; as you see them used in decorations or
given as treats….think about the story of the candy cane and celebrate the
birth of Jesus with a sweet JOY that can come only from knowing Him.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?As you decorate your home for Christmas, why
don’t you consider serving Joy Juice to all those who help with this task?It will make the time pass quickly and
joyfully!

Speaking of
decorating, everywhere we look this month we see beautiful expressions of the
season….one of which is the lovely poinsettia.This flower was first called "The Flower of the Holy Night".A Mexican legend tells of a little boy who
had nothing to give the baby Jesus. As he prayed, it is told that a flower grew
at his feet. He quickly picked it and gave it to Jesus.

Such a sweet story, though we know
it to be only a legend. What we do know for fact is that the flower is named
for a man named Poinsett--the American ambassador to Mexico--who
is given credit for introducing it to the United States.

A legend is a traditional story
sometimes regarded as historical… but it is unauthenticated. We are not sure of
the validity of some stories, but we can be certain of the truth found in the Biblical account of Jesus’
birth.Scripture refers to Jesus as the
Lily of the Valley.A lily is a sweet
and fragrant flower.Ephesians 5:2
describes Jesus as the One Who
gave "himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweet-smelling savour.”When we
put Jesus first on our Christmas list and in our lives, then we will experience
genuine joy!Decorate your heart with
the Lily of the valley.And have a
joyfully blessed Christmas.

Each time you see a
poinsettia, be reminded of the beauty of the season.Celebrate Jesus, the Lily of the Valley.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?You may find some under your Christmas tree
this year!!Naughty or nice, Jesus loves
you and wants to be your personal friend.That should bring us all joy!

Many of us
have our homes decorated for the Christmas holidays…or are at least headed in
that direction.Yesterday, we talked
about hanging our wreath on the front door and were reminded of God’s eternal
love.Today let’s get our tree ready for
the holidays!

How did the
Christmas tree come to be a tradition?One story that I researched said that Martin
Luther is responsible for the origin of the Christmas tree. The story goes that
one Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through the snow-covered
woods and was struck by the beauty of the snow-glistened trees. Their branches,
dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a
small fir tree and shared the story with his children. He decorated the
Christmas tree with small candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.

Some people
may not believe in putting up a tree for Christmas.And that’s perfectly okay!But we can ALL believe that many years ago,
God sent his son to earth in the form of a baby boy.This happened as the prophet Isaiah foretold
in chapter 7, verse 14, “The Lord Himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin will bear a son, and they will call Him Emmanuel, which means God with us.”

Because of Jesus, we can celebrate
Christmas with JOY in our hearts!

Whether you enjoy a Christmas tree in your home or choose to use
other reminders of God’s love, don’t forget to celebrate the birth of our
Savior, Jesus Christ.He is the reason
for genuine Christmas joy.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?Most of us are busy getting ready for
Christmas.As you decorate your home or
work space for the season, do it joyfully!

Many people
began decorating their homes as soon as Thanksgiving was over or even
before!Let’s consider some the
traditional decorations we use to make our homes look like “Christmas”. Why do
we use certain items to bring that holiday cheer into our homes?What do they represent?

Drive through
any neighborhood this time of year and you will see many front doors adorned
with beautiful Christmas wreaths.Personally,
I love wreaths and have several
throughout my home…inside and outside. The circle of the wreath reminds us of
God’s eternal love for us.It has no
beginning or end! Psalm 136:26 says: “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love
endures forever.” The greenery
used in most wreaths is to represent the truth that Christ lives and He came to
earth to give us the opportunity for eternal life.The familiar passage in John 3:16 tells us “For
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever….(that’s you
and me) believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!”

My hope is
that each time we look at a Christmas wreath this year, we will see it with
fresh eyes and understanding.May we see
the joy of the Lord shining through the circle of His unending, everlasting
love.

Hang your Christmas wreath with a heart of joy as you celebrate the
reason for the season….JESUS!

Friday, December 12, 2014

Have you
had your JOY JUICE today?Do you have
your Christmas shopping done? (Or have
you even started?) You can always give
the gift of JOY!It doesn’t cost a penny,
but, oh, how it lasts!

It is human nature to like getting new things.
Christmas time is no exception. Most of
us enjoy seeing our name on a package under the Christmas tree. But let’s not
get so caught up in the gifts that we miss the most important thing:
Celebrating the birth of our Savior. Jesus
should always be the focus of our Christmas.As we share the true meaning of Christmas, may we realize that it’s not
the material gifts which are important.

Here’s an
idea! Why not give Jesus a gift?The gift of your TIME?Read His Word and seek His guidance through
the scriptures.We should spend time in prayer,
praising God & thanking Him for the indescribable gift of Jesus!!(2 Corinthians 9:15)

When our
hearts are in tune with His, then we will be able to see more clearly what is
truly important.Parents, spending time
with your children is a precious gift.They would much rather have YOU and your attention than any gift that
can be bought!

This
Christmas, set aside time to spend with Jesus and your “someones special”. You
don’t have to spend a lot of money. Just give them your time!This may be your family’s favorite Christmas
gift of all…. A gift wrapped in JOY!

When planning your gift for the special ones in your life, choose
to give them love and joy by simply giving them the precious, valuable gift called
“time”.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Have you
had your JOY JUICE today?Still trying
to decide what to give some of your friends or family members for
Christmas?You can always give a
generous portion of joy in the Lord.

Most of us
have to be cautious about what we spend on Christmas gifts.We don’t want to spend so much that it takes
us months to pay our bills!If only we
would realize that there are many valuable gifts that don’t cost any money and
are much more lasting than what we can purchase at the store.

1 Thess.
5:12- 13 gives some good gift ideas!“Now,
we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over
you in the Lord and who admonish you.Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.”

The gifts
of RESPECT, HONOR and LOVE are
encouraged in these verses.How do we
show respect; how do we “hold others in highest regard?”By going the extra mile and telling your
boss, your pastor, your supervisor or anyone that is in a leadership position
that you appreciate their hard work. Express to them how you have been helped
by their leadership; thank them for their ministry and influence in your
life.If we say nothing, how will they
ever know?Remember, even those is high
offices need our love and support and encouragement. What a great way to let
the JOY of Jesus shine through you during this blessed Christmas season!

The gifts of honor, love and respect are truly valuable gifts.And they are ones that will be joyfully
remembered and much appreciated.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?Have you been running and racing trying to
get everything done before the big day arrives.Don’t forget how important Joy Juice is to your spiritual stamina
during this busy Christmas season!

Life is a race!And sometimes we get tired (Maybe even
exhausted!) especially during this special time of year.Long distance runners tell us that as they
near the end of a long race, their legs ache, their throat burns and their
whole body cries out to quit.But then
they hear the people at the finish line cheering them on!And that bit of encouragement helps the
runner to push through the pain all the way to the end!

The same is true in the race of
life.1 Thess. 5:11 tells us to “build
each other up.” We can do that
with kind words of encouragement.For
example:

·Point out to someone a quality that you
appreciate in him or her.

·Tell a
co-worker what a good job they did on a project.

·Express
your appreciation for someone’s talent or ability.

·And PLEASE don’t forget that our family members
need to hear words of edification, as well!

As a matter of fact, I believe that
most of us would prefer a steady gifting of encouragement any day to a material
gift that’s going to tear up or soon be out of style.

So put ENCOURAGEMENT on your gift-giving
list this Christmas.It will bring joy
to the person as they open it and JOY to you as a smile lights up their face.

Let me encourage you to be an encouragement to others as you share the joy
of the real Christmas with others.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Have you
had your JOY JUICE today?It’s more
blessed to give than receive.So give
generously during this Christmas season..

Especially
during this time of year, we should be sensitive to the doors of opportunity
God opens for us to be a blessing to people along our way. Let’s be intentional about sharing the love
and joy of the Lord with others by encouraging them with our words, our actions
and our gifts.

Speaking of
gifts, I have a great Christmas gift idea for everyone on your list. It’s
economical; and it demonstrates the love and joy of Jesus!One size fits all….and it works no matter
what age or gender, regardless of interests or talents. Everybody enjoys this
gift whether they admit it or not. It’s
the gift of ENCOURAGEMENT.

Author
Karen Porter says that encouragement is like a chocolate candy kiss.Even though it’s small, it sure yields
wonderful results! And we find ourselves looking forward eagerly to the next
taste!In the same way, just a word of
encouragement hints at the love of God and leaves us wanting more! 1 Thess. 5
:11 tells us to encourage one another and build each other up.

Let’s ask
God to make us sensitive to others during this Christmas season.You may never know what a difference this
gift will make in the life of a person who is in of a simple of word of
encouragement !

Give the beautifully wrapped gift of encouragement this season,
tied with a sparkling ribbon of joy.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Have you
had your JOY JUICE today?May I suggest
that you give “joy” asChristmas gifts
this year?

Often we
get caught up in the “what I want for Christmas” mode. It’s not just children
who make their wish list. We begin to
drop hints to our family and friends about what we really NEED. And often our
“needs” and “wants” are confused! Are
we guilty of spending too much time thinking about what we are going to GET for
Christmas?

Let’s be
reminded that we already have the BEST gift of all…..God’s son, Jesus. What a
gift of love! God sacrificed His son, so that we might know the JOY of the Lord
as our strength!This week let’s think
about how we can pass that love and JOY on to others during this Christmas
season.

One way
that we can share Christ’s love is simply by following the instructions of Paul in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
OTHERS better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others.”Paul was encouraging us to take our
eyes off of ourselves—our wants, our desires, our rights— and think of others
instead.

This
Christmas season, let’s stop thinking so much of our agenda and begin to look
around to see how we can help someone else.You’ll be surprised at how much JOY will be in your heart when you share
the JOY of Jesus with others!

“Consider others” by sharing the best Christmas gift of all…the
gift of JOY in relationship with Jesus!

Friday, December 5, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?If you have begun your Christmas season focusing
on the joy of Jesus’ birth, then you are headed toward a blessed Christmas
season.

When we are
intentional about keeping Christ in Christmas, then we will see His joy
throughout each day. When Jesus is our priority, it becomes much easier to see
His hand in all things. Even when we are going through tough times…whether
financial or physical, emotional or spiritual…..we can have JOY because our
faith is in Him.

For some people, the holidays are a sad time
because they have lost loved ones.Others have been through a divorce or are separated from beloved family
members due to circumstances beyond their control.Some people dread the holidays for a variety
of reasons.

However you
feel about this time of year, always remember that God loves you!He loves you so much that He sent His Son
just for YOU!And as we approach this
Christmas season, we can depend on that love to continue to be there for us. Psalm 55:22 tells us to “Cast your burdens upon the Lord
and He will sustain you.”

Never hesitate
to give Him your concerns. Lay them at His feet so that you can experience
strength in Him.That’s the kind of JOY
that He wants you to have as your special Christmas gift this year.Won’t you accept His unmatchable gift of
love?

Focus on the birth of Christ.Let Him have your burdens so that you can experience His joy during this
Christmas season—as well as every other day of the year.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?Are you taking the time to soak in the warm
joy of the Christmas season?

Luke 2
tells us that while Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, “the time came for the baby to be
born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Though I know all of this was God’s perfect
plan, I’ve always felt a little sadness that there was “no room for them in the
inn”.Just think about how uncomfortable
that stable must have been for Mary.She
had to give birth…not in a nice hospital room…not even in the comfort of her
own home.She gave birth to the King of
Kings in a lowly, smelly stable.His bed
was a manger filled with hay….“Because
there was no room for them in the inn.”

This
Christmas let’s ask ourselves if we have made room in our hearts for Jesus.We would have no reason to celebrate
Christmas, if it were not for the birth of our Savior.It is imperative that we focus on that gift…the
indescribable gift that came in the form of a baby. I can guarantee if
we will make Christ a priority, this Christmas will be filled with a special
kind of JOY!

Make room in your heart and
your home for the inexpressible joy of knowing Jesus as your personal Savior. He IS the reason for JOY. As 2 Corinthians 9:15says: “Thanks be to God for his
indescribable gift!”

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Have you
had your Joy Juice today?During this
Christmas season, please don’t forget to put “Joy” at the top of your Christmas
list.

Joy truly
is a gift.God gave us His Son Jesus and
no better gift will there ever be! Philippians 4:4 reminds us to “rejoice
in the Lord always”. No, we
won’t always be in joyful situations; we will not always be happy. But if we’ll
keep Jesus as our focus and depend on joy in our relationship with Him…then we
will be “rejoicing in the Lord”.

Christmas is rapidly approaching. There will
be many fun activities….like parades & parties, shopping & baking.But let’s not take our eyes off the real
reason that we are celebrating. If we do, we will be in danger of missing the
JOY of Christmas.

So what can
we do to assure that we are keeping the main thing the main thing?Here are a few suggestions:

Let’s
start the day with a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for the birth of
His Son, Jesus.

Read
the Christmas story from the Bible.Why not let that be our daily devotionals during this entire
month?We can find the story of
Jesus’ birth in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

When
we decorate our homes, let a nativity set be the focal point so that we’ll
have a visual reminder of the birth of Jesus.

And
let’s choose to worship faithfully in the church of our choice.To gather with fellow Christians during
any time of year is special, but at Christmas it’s extra JOYful!

Rejoice in the birth of
Jesus and have a joyfully blessed Christmas season.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Have you had your Joy Juice today?Children drink gobs of Joy Juice during this
season of the year…and we should follow their example.

Don’t you
love to watch children during the Christmas season? The wonder in their sparkling eyes, the
excitement in their voices, the squeals of delight when they see the lights and
packages with their names on them! I
can remember as a little girl being thrilled over the Christmas season. Countless
times a day, I would ponder over the pages in the catalogs that would come in
the mail. My wish-list grew longer and longer….hoping that at least some of
those items would be under my tree on Christmas morning.

Even though
my parents were careful to keep things in perspective, I’m afraid my focus was
in the wrong place.I knew we were
celebrating Jesus’ birthday, but I’m sure I really didn’t grasp the
significance of His birth. As adults, we do we grasp the significance of the
birth of Jesus? Or are we caught up in the “hurry and worry” of the holidays? We
should be intentional about celebrating the right thing….and teach our children
about the real reason for the season.

This year,
let’s put our focus on the BEST gift of all. “Thanks be to God for his
indescribable gift!” 2
Corinthians 9:15 says. God has already sent His love to us wrapped in the form
of his Son, Jesus.When we open that
glorious gift, our focus will not be on material things. Instead, we will
desire what’s in the best Book of all ….the Bible….God’s Word.And that promises to bring a JOYful
Christmas to all of us.

Open the gift of indescribable, glorious joy….and share Jesus with
others throughout the holidays.

SHE SPEAKS GRADUATE

Subscribe To A Serving of JOY JUICE

JoyJoy Ministries Website

Follow by Email

JOYce

Followers

About Me

I'm Joyce Ashley of JoyJoy Ministries....otherwise known as "Gigi" by my grandchildren. It is my desire to share on this site with children (and the young at heart) a "double portion" of the JOY of the Lord!